


Walking In Circles

by Aericura



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: 2020 Fate Fest, Blood and Gore, Fate Discord, Fate by TheTrueSpartan, Gen, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, fate au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:46:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28338675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aericura/pseuds/Aericura
Summary: One cycle in few words, leaving room for the imagination. This story shows the consequences of the Entity choosing a different approach to complete a cycle.
Kudos: 5
Collections: Fate Fan Stories





	Walking In Circles

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Fate](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27206147) by [TheTrueSpartan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheTrueSpartan/pseuds/TheTrueSpartan). 



> Disclaimer: This work is showing my own approach on a cycle. This is NOT Fate!Canon. 
> 
> Beta Reader: Avatar Vader
> 
> You can find the FFN story link for Fate and additional info in the description for the Fate Fest Stories collection.

**March 1988**

He was standing in a room. The walls and the ground were made out of uneven stone. A chamber. A grave.

It was cold. Every breath hurt. There was a piercing pain in his lungs. Ron wished he didn’t have to breathe.

The ground seemed wet and slippery, mold was growing everywhere and moss had overgrown the stone walls . Water dripped down from the walls, forming pools of shimmering liquid.

The Chamber was extraordinarily wide. Ron didn’t think that he had ever been in such a big room before. He imagined that the Great Hall in Hogwarts was this huge. Charlie had told him about it.

The Great Hall. A bright place. A place of laughter and togetherness. He was told that one could see stars instead of a ceiling when looking up.

This Chamber wasn’t bright. It was absolutely silent and he was alone. There were no stars on the ceiling, only mold.

There was a head made out of stone, it towered big and majestic over the room. Its lifeless eyes staring at him. Ron felt small next to it.

He was scared and his chest started to hurt. There was a piercing pain in his heart. Ron wished his heart would stop beating.

It was dark. It was bright. Ron looked for colors, but everything was black and white.

He saw red. He saw gold. A lifeless body on the ground. No movement.

The Chamber was filled with light. Suddenly there were voices echoing through the Chamber and he could hear footsteps coming closer. He wanted to make a sound, scream for help. His lips were moving, but he stayed silent.

He saw himself. Shades of black and white, but no red and gold.

There were voices, but he couldn’t understand any words. Couldn’t understand what was happening.

 _Ginny_ , somebody was screaming. _Ginny. Ginny. Ginny._

He was screaming. His throat hurt. There was a piercing pain in his mouth. Ron wished somebody would hear him.

He saw red. Red blood everywhere. Red hair on the ground. Red clothes. He saw gold. Golden clothes. Golden painted nails. A lifeless body on the ground. Ginny was dead.

He was crying. His eyes hurt. There was a piercing pain in his head. Ron wished he couldn’t see anymore.

He saw blue. Blue sky. Blue eyes shining bright. He saw green. Green grass. Green shoes.

He saw gold. Golden sun. Golden dress.

He saw red. Red hair floating in the wind. Movement. Ginny was alive. The Chamber was gone.

He was smiling. Everything hurt. There was a piercing pain in his eyes. Ron wished he was no more.

**December 1988**

He sat in the kitchen while his mother was cooking. The kitchen was filled with various delicious smells, but Ron didn’t feel any anticipation. He wasn’t hungry.

It was dark outside. It was bright inside.

The kitchen was warm. His lungs were burning as if he was breathing fire. He watched the candles flicker whenever his mother moved.

There were voices, but he couldn’t understand what they were saying. Lips moving without a sound. A sound without lips moving.

 _Ron_ , somebody was saying. _Ron. Ron. Ron._

A bowl was shoved into his hands. Ron wasn’t hungry. He put it on the table.

A plate was shoved into his hands. Ron felt nauseous. He put it on the table.

No light was shining through the window. Darkness was waiting in front of the house. Its long arms knocking on the door, its many eyes looking through the window.

The Other was waiting for him to come outside, to leave the safety of his home. Ron knew It would be able to come inside soon. The Other had told him that It would be able to find him everywhere. _Safety was just an illusion_ , It had said the last time It gave Ron the past. _The future._

He saw Ginny standing at the window. _Look Ron, it’s snowing_ , she said with a smile. She hadn’t been able to speak when she was in the chamber. She hadn’t been able to smile in the chamber. Ron decided, he wouldn’t let her go near the Chamber. Never.

The snow was falling slow. It reminded him of the ashes he saw when the Castle burned. The air had smelled so bad. Ron didn’t know if he had ever smelled something worse. They couldn’t burn all the bodies. There were too many.

Ron had screamed at the horrifying sight. The Other had laughed. It seemed to enjoy showing Ron these kind of things. 

_I don’t like snow_ , he said. Ginny turned around and laughed. _Everybody loves snow. It’s so pretty_ , she said. Ron wished it would never snow again.

**August 1989**

It was loud and crowded. He didn’t want to go with his family, but his mother hadn’t given him a choice. The twins had gotten their Hogwarts letter the day before and they couldn’t wait to go to Diagon Alley. Ron couldn’t wait to go home.

Home was quiet. Home was safe. Only The Other could hurt him there.

It was loud and crowded. Ron wanted to shield his ears, wanted the noises to stop.

There were colors everywhere. He saw red. A woman with a red dress. A bookshop with a red sign. A red house. Red hair.

There was blood on the ground and the street was empty. Doors were broken. A woman was crying.

The sky was dark. Shades of black mourning the freedom that was lost.

White posters were hanging on the walls of abandoned shops. _Wanted_ , they said. _Harry Potter_. Ron knew they would find him eventually.

It started to rain. Dark raindrops were falling down, washing away the blood on the streets. Ron stood still. He knew he couldn’t get wet. Even The Other didn’t have that much power.

The woman stopped crying. Diagon Alley was quiet. Life had left.

Ron looked for colors. There was only red. Red footprints on the ground, barely visible since it started to rain. A red handprint on the wall. Red hair. Ron didn’t know if Ginny was alive.

He was crying. His head hurt. He started to scratch his face, tried to poke out his eyes. Ron wished he couldn’t see no more.

 _Why are you crying_ , Fred asked. _It is a beautiful day_ , George said. Ron kept walking. He hadn’t had a beautiful day in over a year.

**November 1989**

It was cold outside. The trees had lost their leaves and the animals were gone. Ron didn’t mind. The cold made him feel alive. It reminded him that this moment was real.

His mother came outside with a blanket in her hands. _You will catch a cold_ , she said. Ron didn’t answer. He looked up and watched the clouds moving on the blue sky. There were clouds over The Other Hogwarts. The one in his dreams.

He only had been there once. Ron didn’t want to ever go back to this place.

 _It’s ok to miss your brothers_ , his mother said. _You will go to Hogwarts as well soon. I am sure you will like it there._

Ron has already been at Hogwarts. Ron has never been at Hogwarts.

 _We will see_ , he said. His mother smiled and covered him up with the blanket. _You will like the Gryffindor Common Room_ , she said. Ron didn’t answer. His mother went back inside. _Don’t stay out too long_ , she said. _You will catch a cold._

Ron remembered having a cold. He was in a room in a huge tower. The tower was cold and every good feelings was stolen from his body. Only darkness was left. 

He was cold. His throat hurt. His lungs crackled.

He scratched his arms until it hurt too much to bear. There was a piercing pain in his bones as if the cold was eating him alive. Ron wished the other Ron would stop screaming.

The other Ron’s eyes were dull and white. His body was full of dirt and his hair was matted. Ron couldn’t see any colors. Everything was black and white.

 _What did you do_ , Ron asked. He didn’t expect an answer. He has never gotten an answer. It was all a memory. It was all a vision. One of too many. Ron felt like he has lived hundreds of lives.

He looked out of the small barred window. The sky was dark. The sea calm. The Ones That Stole Souls were ignoring the other Ron. There was nothing left to take.

Wind was blowing in his face. It was cold. Ron didn’t mind. He was used to the cold.

 _Why are you outside_ , Ginny asked. She sat down beside him. _Looking at the clouds_ , he said. It got darker outside and a few stars could already be seen at the sky.

The air was filled with the smell of a variety of food. It was bright and warm. Ron felt at home. Laughter echoed through the room and there was constant chatter. The Great Hall was vibrating with happiness and togetherness.

He looked up. His eyes were heavy, his body was tired. There were thousands of colors. There were no colors. The stars were shining and Ron felt at peace.

 _The stars are beautiful today_ , Ginny said. The sun was completely gone and the sky was full of stars. _They are_ , Ron said. He wished this night would never end.

**April 1990**

Ron was dreaming. He stood on a hill. He has been here before. He has never been here before.

He was scared. His chest hurt. There was a piercing pain in his heart. Ron wished he would wake up.

There was a boy. He was standing in front of Ron, smiling at him. The boy was handsome and well dressed. _Hello Ron_ , he said. _I didn’t expect us to meet this early._

Ron backed away. His heart was pounding. He wanted to rip it out. Throw it away. He wished his heart would stop beating.

 _Do you belong to The Other,_ Ron asked. The boy looked at him with an undefinable look in his face. _You are not ready for answers, Ron. Go back_ , he said.

Ron was screaming. His throat was hurting. There was a pain in his brain which wasn’t going away. He wished he would wake up and never dream again.

He turned around and ran. He couldn’t escape The Dream. His hands were shaking. Ron wished he was at home.

The Burrow appeared in front of him. A beautiful woman was floating in the air next to it. He saw gold. Her golden hair was softly moving with the wind and her golden eyes were shining so bright that Ron had to look away.

 _Who is she_ , he asked The Dream. _It is Fate_ , The Dream answered. Ron didn’t understand. _What is fate_ , he asked. The boy shook his head. _Time will tell_ , he said.

Ron was crying. He knew the answer deep within him, even though he couldn’t possibly know it yet. _Time will tell_ , he repeated. His heart ached. _I don’t have time_ , he screamed. The wind carried his voice.

There were colors and Ron wished there weren’t. The colors were his, the black and whites were from the others. He closed his eyes and wished the colors away.

He saw orange and he knew he was safe. His bed was warm. The blanket was soft.

It was raining outside. He could hear the raindrops fall down on the roof. The rest of the house was quiet. From time to time he could hear the ghoul in the attic move. Most of the time the ghoul was quiet. Ron suspected that it liked to listen to the rain.

It was still night and everybody was asleep. Ron didn’t try to go back to sleep. He just laid in his bed and listened to the rain. It was calming.

He saw orange. It reminded him of watching the sunset together with his family in spring. It reminded him of sitting in front of the fireplace in winter and watching the flames burn the evenly cut pieces of wood. It reminded him of making pumpkin pie with his mother when autumn came and the leaves started to fall down to the ground. He saw orange and it reminded him of Ginny’s hair in the blazing sun, shining like a flame in the darkness.

Orange meant safe, orange meant real. Ron looked at his wall and wished that he would never have to see black and white again.

 _I won’t sleep anymore_ , he decided. _I don’t want to meet The Dream ever again._

After a while fatigue overcame him and he fell asleep. When he woke up, he started crying. With steady movements he started scratching his arms, his neck, his face.

 _I don’t deserve this_ , he said. _What did I do to deserve this?_

**September 1990**

His parents were arguing. He knew they were talking about him again. Ginny cried. She didn’t like the shouting.

Ron was used to it. When he fell asleep, he could hear the screaming of hundreds of people. It was his voice screaming for help, except it wasn’t. When he fell asleep, he wanted to hit his ears until all he could hear was endless ringing and all he could feel was the blood on his hand. When Ron fell asleep, he wished he would stop hearing.

Ginny stopped crying. She was exhausted. Ron couldn’t stop crying. The pain sat deep within his heart. He cried, because he was the reason why Ginny cried. Because he was the reason why his mother argued with his father and couldn’t stop crying all night. He cried, because life was unfair. Ron was just a child, but he has never been just a child.

 _One year_ , he said. _One year and I will be at Hogwarts._ Ginny looked at him with a sad look on his face. _I don’t want you to go_ , she said. Ron didn’t answer. He didn’t want to go either.

He thought about the black and white Castle. He thought about the Dream Castle. He hoped the real Hogwarts wasn’t as horrifying as the other ones.

 _Why aren’t you showing me the good memories_ , Ron had asked once. The Other hadn’t answered for a long time. _I don’t want to_ , The Other eventually had said.

 _Why are you showing me so many memories_ , Ron had asked once. The Other hadn’t answered for a long time. _Trying something new_ , The Other eventually had said.

 _What did I do_ , Ron had asked. The Other hadn’t had an answer for him. The Other had stayed silent.

 _What did I do_ , Ron had screamed. The Other had stared at him with its gruesome eyes. _You did nothing_ , The Other had said. Ron had been confused. _Nothing_ , he had asked. The Other had nodded, it’s mouth showing sharp teeth while smiling wide open. _Nothing_ , The Other said. _You did nothing and it changed everything._

The Other didn’t shout like his mother. It didn’t laugh like his brothers. It didn’t cry like his sister.

The Other spoke with a calm, yet terrifying voice. When the Other spoke, Ron wanted to run away and hide. His ears started hurting. Its voice was the worst thing he has ever heard.

The Other never laughed out loud, but it smiled and Ron didn’t think that he had ever seen a smile this sinister and evil before. When The Other smiled, Ron wanted to scratch out his eyes until all he could see was the red of his own blood. When the Other smiled, Ron wished he would never see someone smile again.

The Other didn’t cry. Ron didn’t know if The Other had feelings. Its eyes were without emotion and every attempt to act emotional seemed shallow and wrong. Sometimes when Ron laid in his bed and didn’t want to sleep, he asked himself if The Other had ever cried like he made Ron cry.

 _Don’t be sad_ , he said. Ginny laid her head into his lap. _I will miss you_ , she said. Ron didn’t answer.

His heart was aching and he didn’t know the reason why. _One year left_ , he said. _I don’t want to leave home_.

**May 1991**

He helped his mother in the garden. The sun was shining brightly into his face and shared its warmth with him. Ron loved being outside, it was so peaceful.

There wasn’t much to do to help his mother. He always finished rather quickly with the tasks his mother assigned him.

He laid down on the ground. He watched the clouds slowly moving in the sky. The sky was blue. Ron wished the sky would be always blue.

When the sky wasn’t blue, he was scared.

He stood next to a tent. He looked up to watch the sky. The sky was dark, so dark that Ron couldn’t say if there were any colors to see. The grass under his feet was grey. Different shades of black and white everywhere.

Then there was light. He looked up and the sky was green.

He was screaming. His throat hurt. There was a piercing pain in his left arm. Ron wished The Cold One would die.

He started scratching his left arm. The skull opened his mouth to a mocking smile and an enormous snake entered the bleeding sky.

He stopped screaming, but the screaming didn’t stop. There was chaos around him. People were running away in an attempt to find a safe place to hide from the evil. _There is no hiding, The Cold One will find you all._

Ron was scared. He looked at his arm. Blood was coming out the scratching wounds. There was no skull. There was no snake.

 _Ron, you are bleeding_ , his mother said. He looked up. The sky was bright blue, most of the clouds were gone.

The grass he was laying on was green. It was greener than the skull on the sky that only appeared when evil was coming. It was greener than the tie around the neck of faceless shapes. People he had already met, but yet had to meet.

The grass wasn’t as green as the spell that brought death to everybody, but one. Ron lifted his arm and drew a lightning bolt into the sky.

He was hearing laughter. With force he pressed his hands over his ears to shield them from any noises. The laughter got louder. Ron started crying. _It’s not fair._

**September 1991**

He was standing on the platform. The train was already there. It was loud and crowded. Ron wanted to go home.

His mother was talking to him. He didn’t listen. With a tired look on his face, he observed the people around him. Many familiar faces. So many possibilities. One couldn’t say how everything would turn out.

Ginny was crying. Ron knew she wanted to come with him. He wished their roles were reversed. He’d rather go home than take the train to Hogwarts. He was scared.

 _Take me with you_ , Ginny said. _I want to go to Hogwarts._ Ron gave her a hug. _Next year_ , he said. Ginny cried harder.

The platform wasn’t as crowded as before. Most children had already entered the train, trying to find a good compartment to sit in. Some hurried to find enough space to sit with their friends, some hurried to find space to sit alone.

Ron didn’t mind sitting with others. He didn’t mind sitting alone either. It was a long ride and he knew it wouldn’t take much time until he lost himself in the past. It got harder and harder for him to differentiate his memories from the ones The Other was giving him.

Most seats were already occupied. He kept walking. The train slowly left the platform. The movements of the old train made it difficult for him to walk. He stopped walking and entered the nearest compartment.

A shy looking boy was sitting on one side. A confident looking girl was sitting on the other side. Ron was sure the girl was just pretending to be confident. He could see her hands tremble slightly while she was searching her bag for something.

Ron sat down next to the window without introducing himself. The girl was saying something to him. He didn’t listen. He looked out of the window. The sky was blue and white clouds were slightly moving. It wasn’t a windy day.

Ron liked windy days. He remembered eating ice cream with Ginny on a windy day. Her red hair had been blown into her face by the wild wind. It had made it difficult for her to eat the ice cream. She had frowned. He had laughed. This happened before the Other started showing him the future. The past. These memories.

 _My name is Neville_ , the shy boy said. _And this is my toad Trevor._ Ron looked at him. _I don’t have a pet._ _My mother wanted me to have my brother’s old rat. I fed it to a wild cat. I don’t like rats._ Neville grimaced und turned his attention back to the girl.

Ron looked out of the window. The sky was blue and white clouds were slightly moving. There were birds flying around. He liked birds. They seemed free and carefree. Sometimes Ron wished he was a bird.

 _You should check if the door is properly closed_ , Ron said. _If not, your toad will escape like the last times._

The boy and the girl were looking at him with a confused look on their faces. _Thank you, I guess_ , the boy said. Ron didn’t answer. He looked out of the window. The sky was exceptionally blue.

Blue like his eyes. Blue like The Dream’s eyes. The blue sky. He wished that he would be a Blue Eagle when he was at Hogwarts.

**January 1992**

There was a man standing next to his bed. The dark silhouette nearly disappeared in the darkness of the room.

Ron was scared. He tried to scream, but no sound escaped his lips. He was so scared.

 _Why did you kill me_ , the man asked. Ron shook his head and covered his eyes. _I didn’t do it_ , he said.

He was scared. He started scratching his face. Ron wished he was blind.

 _Who are you_ , he asked. The man took a step forward. Ron still couldn’t see his face.

 _Oh Ronnie_ , the man said. _After all these years you don’t recognize me? One could say I was even part of the family._

 _Go away_ , Ron screamed. He pulled the blanket over his head and covered his ears. _Go away. Go away. Go away._

 _Why did you feed me to the cat? Why, Ron. Why did you kill me?_ The man kept coming closer and closer. Ron started crying.

Ron opened his eyes. The man was gone. He couldn’t stop trembling.

The bed was wet and warm. Out of fear Ron had lost the control over his bladder. He cried even harder.

 _It was all a nightmare_ , he said to himself. He hadn’t had nightmares in years. Since The Other had started showing him those visions, he had only been plagued by haunting memories at night. No nightmares.

He grabbed the wand that was hidden under his pillow. _Lumos_ , he said.

The darkness around him backed away. His bed was filled with light. All the colors were back.

He saw yellow around him and it reminded him of the orange of his room at home. He was safe. Ron didn’t want to go back to sleep.

He sat in his bed until the sun was starting to rise. Ron felt nauseous and tired, but he was already used to the constant feeling of exhaustion.

 _You’re already up_ , one of the yellow Badgers he shared the room with, said with surprise in his voice. Ron looked up. _I couldn’t sleep anymore_ , he said. It was the truth.

**March 1992**

He wished there were windows in the classroom. It was hard to escape his thoughts, when he was surrounded by dark stone. The walls reminded him of the Chamber.

Ron stared at his desk. A variety of ingredients were spread all over the place. He hadn’t started yet. He looked at the opened book. Letters and words were dancing around, forming words and sentences Ron had never heard before.

There room began to fill with fumes. He felt like the fumes were heavily sitting in his lungs. He couldn’t breath. It was so cold.

 _Mr. Weasley_ , the Potion Master said. Ron didn’t react.

Footsteps echoed through the Chamber. A screeching hiss. A scream.

The beast that appeared was bigger than any beast Ron had ever seen. It’s black and white scales reflected the little light that barely illuminated the Chamber.

He couldn’t see any colors. His body was shaking.

 _I’ve already seen this_ , he said. _I’ve already seen this._

 _A basilisk,_ the other Ron shouted. The basilisk stroke. The Diary laughed.

Ron screamed. Pure terror filled his body and all he wanted was to run away.

 _Mr. Weasley_ , the Potion Master shouted. Ron flinched. He wasn’t making any noise, but in his head hundreds of voices were screaming while facing death.

Most of the Blue Raven and Yellow Badgers were already finished with their potions. Ron hadn’t even started.

 _I don’t think there is hope for you_ , _Mr. Weasley_ , the Potion Master said. Ron didn’t answer. He looked at the dark wall, imagining there was a window.

The sky was blue and white clouds were slowly moving with the wind. Ron could hear the chirping if the birds. He wished he was a bird.

**August 1992**

His mother was shouting. This time it wasn’t his fault.

 _Did you know about it_ , his mother asked. Ron looked away. _No_ , he said. It was a lie.

 _Liar, liar, liar_. Whispering echoed in his head. He knew about the plan. He had been part of it many times.

The car was blue. Blue like the sky. Ron liked watching the sky. It was calming.

His mother kept shouting at his brothers. Harry Potter looked uncomfortable. Even Ron could tell.

His mother was still shouting. Ron knew it was his fault.

The sky was dark and a storm was coming. Light was flying through the air. Spells. Ron couldn’t see the colors.

He hit his head with his fists. _Where are the colors_ , he asked. _You know that there are no colors_ , The Other said. 

Ron kept hitting his head. There was pain.

A person fell from the broom and people were screaming. Ron knew the spell hit the right one. He failed. The other Ron failed. They failed.

He started scratching his face. _I don’t want this_ , he said. _I don’t want this face_.

He looked at his hands. Red blood was under his nails. He looked out of the window. The sky was blue.

It was quiet.

 _Ron_ , his mother said with a broken look on her face. His brothers and Harry Potter were nowhere to be seen. _I am sorry_ , his mother said. Ron didn’t answer.

It was a bad day.

**January 1993**

The air was cold and there was a thin blanket of snow that covered the grass and flowers. Bright rays of the sun shone through the blank trees. The ground was sparkling.

Ron watched the skeletal horses. The young ones were playing in the snow while the older ones were slowly walking around. They seemed to enjoy the cold weather.

He heard footsteps behind him. _Can you see them too_ , Luna asked. Ron didn’t answer. Luna sat down next to him and took his shaking hand _You are freezing_ , she exclaimed. A quick spell and it was warm.

They sat next to each other in silence. _I am sorry_ , he said. _Why are you sorry_ , Luna asked. _You did nothing._

 _I know_ , Ron said.

The ground was warm. Candles were flickering with every movement.

Blond hair, wide opened eyes. They were blue like the sky. Ron could see the shock and fear in them.

Ron turned around and walked away.

Luna smiled at him. _Next time_ , Ron said. Luna didn’t answer. She knew there was no point in asking.

A small bird landed in front of them and started looking for bugs. _How cute_ , Luna said. Ron agreed.

A wild cat jumped out of the bushes and caught the bird. It ran away with it in its mouth. Luna looked sad. Ron didn’t know how to feel.

 _That’s life,_ he said. Luna nodded. Ron looked up to the clear blue sky. He wished he was a bird.

Ron stood up. _Let’s walk to the Castle together_ , he said. Luna shook her head. _Maybe next time_ , she said. _I want to stay a bit._

He slowly stepped back to the Castle through the snow. The bare trees around him were showing him the way.

Ron was walking through a forest. It was dark and cold. Shadows were creeping from all sides, trying to devour him.

Terrifying sounds were echoing through the forest. Somebody screamed. Ron started to run. The branches of the trees were hitting in his face. He ignored them. _It’s not real_ , he said to himself. He wasn’t sure if he could believe himself. _There are no colors_ , he reminded himself.

 _It’s dark, of course there are no colors_ , a tiny voice in the back of his head said. _It must be real. It is real._

Ron kept running. He heard screaming. He started to scream as well. It felt like something was chasing him.

The darkness was suddenly gone. He stopped. The space in front of him was bright and there were no trees. Ron could see a tent. Three silhouettes were standing in front of it. They were arguing.

He walked closer. He could see red hair. He could see black hair. He could see brown hair. The other Ron was shouting. Ron couldn’t understand any words.

He tried to walk closer. A cold hand grabbed his arm and hold him back. Ron turned around.

His heart was beating fast. So fast that it started to hurt.

Bright blue eyes were looking into his dull blue eyes. _Ron_ , The Dream said. Ron started to cry. _The Entity isn’t allowed to show you this yet._ Ron didn’t answer.

His legs couldn’t hold his weight anymore. He fell on his knees. _Ron_ , The Dream said. _Stand up. You have to go._

Ron didn’t react. There was a unbearable pressure in his head. _I’ve been here before_ , Ron whispered. He put his head back and looked at the sky. Different shades of grey with specks of white.

He could hear footsteps. It were quiet and slow footsteps, but to Ron it felt like the whole ground and his whole body were vibrating with every step. The Other.

 _This is too much. You will have to restart, if you keep showing this much_ , The Dream said. The Other didn’t answer.

Ron pressed his hands on his ears. _Go away. Go away. Go away._ He wished everything would be quiet.

He looked up. Everything was quiet. The sky was blue.

Ron could feel his hands shaking. His legs were hurting because of the cold. He didn’t know how long he had been sitting in the snow.

A small bird hopped through the snow, leaving tiny footprints. Ron started to cry.

**June 1993**

_There is a chamber_ , they whispered. _Ginny Weasley_ , they whispered.

The Great Hall was loud, the discussions between the tables got heated and it didn’t take long until the whole room was vibrating with different sounds.

Ron sat at the end of the table. He wasn’t hungry. With tired eyes he watched the stars displayed on the magical ceiling. Yellow Badgers were whispering next to him.

 _Ginny Weasley_ , he heard. _A chamber_.

Somebody nearby started to cry. Ron didn’t understand the agitation. He wished everybody was quiet. It was too loud.

He started scratching his arm. _Too loud_ , he whispered.

He felt dizzy. The Great Hall was spinning around. Everything around him got blurred. Yellow specks everywhere. Red. Green.

Ron saw blue. He knew it wasn’t the color of the sky. It was a dark blue, not a bright one. Ron wished he could see the blue sky right now.

He closed his eyes for a few moments. When he opened them again, everything was back to normal.

Ron looked at the red table. The red Lions were wildly talking with each other. He could see every kind of emotion mirrored on their faces.

His gaze stopped when he saw red hair. Ginny was silently sitting in between the Lions. Ron smiled at her. Ginny smiled back. He would never let her get close to the chamber. Never.

**September 1993**

They were standing in the middle of the room. A lot was different. There was a closet. Ron had never seen this closet before. He didn’t like it. He felt something bad coming from that closet.

The Wolf was telling them something. Ron didn’t listen. He was too tired to focus on the lesson. The last nights were rough, The Other hadn’t given him any rest. He had barely slept.

He looked out of the window. The sky was dark and clouded, but rays of the sun could be seen shining through the clouds. It rained.

He looked up. It was night and Ron could see the full moon shining bright on the sky. Even though the moon was illuminating everything around him, the grass under his feet seemed grey and the trees nearly black.

A bloodcurdling scream echoed through the night. Everything in Ron’s body told him to run away. He started to run.

A few moments of running later, he saw two silhouettes not far away. The screaming came from one of them. Ron walked slower, with more careful steps.

He saw the wolf first. It was an ugly and disgusting creature. Its whole body seemed deformed. Partly human, partly wolf. Old and new scars were everywhere on its body. Some looked self inflicted.

He saw the shredded body next. Blood was everywhere and some body parts weren’t recognizable anymore. Ron gagged. It was a horrifying sight.

On what seemed to be a head, he could see short red hair. It stood in big contrast to the black and white surroundings.

 _No_ , he said and took a step forward. Between shredded flesh were two blue eyes. Frozen forever in a moment of terror.

The other Ron seemed to be his age. Ron started to cry. Grief settled deep in his heart. He wished they could swap places. He wished he could give the other Ron a chance to grow old, to find happiness.

 _It’s not fair,_ he said. _I don’t want this anymore._

 _It is your turn_ , a voice said. Ron looked around. Badgers and Eagles looked at him with expectations. He took a step forward. The closet was wide open and in front of it floated a dark mass in the air, continuously trying to take a shape.

Ron took another step forward. The creature haltet, then it started to shift its shape.

The Badgers and Eagles started to whisper.

A beautiful cage with a small bird inside was standing in front of him. The cage had no door, it was closed on all sides. The bird didn’t move. It was just standing inside the cage, looking through the bars with an unfocused look.

The whispering in the room got louder.

Ron stared at the bird. _Poor bird_ , he said. _Trapped for eternity. You will never fly on the blue sky again._

**May 1994**

The library was quiet. Ron opened the book in front of him with a content smile. He enjoyed the silence.

Ginny sat next to him. She was working on her potion assignment that was due the next day. It didn’t look like she had much fun.

Ron never had done the different assignments since he had been at Hogwarts. It was boring and he didn’t need that anyway. The teachers didn’t seem to mind.

 _Ginny_ , he said. His sister stopped writing and looked at him with a smile on her face. _I am glad that we can spend some time together_ , he told her. She laughed. _I agree_ , Ginny said.

Some students were walking past their table, shooting confused looks at them. Ron didn’t mind. Everybody had been looking at him with weird impressions on their faces for a while now. He didn’t understand, but he didn’t mind either. They were allowed to look how and where they wanted to. It was not his place to forbid such things.

He looked around. Books were everywhere. Ron didn’t like reading books. Whenever he was trying to read what was written there, the letters decided to dance around. Letter were everywhere, but his brain couldn’t comprehend the meaning of it.

When he was younger, he was able to read a lot. Ron remembered reading books about different creatures, Quidditch and beautiful fairytales. Now he couldn’t even read a sentence.

He saw a small blue bird sitting on a shelf between books. It had the color of the sky. Ron thought it was pretty. He showed it his sister. She smiled.

 _Can I sit with you_ , somebody asked. Ron turned his head to the voice. Luna was standing next to him. She was holding some books and some kind of magazine in her hands. Ron nodded. He didn’t mind Luna’s company.

 _Look_ , he said and pointed to the bird. Luna looked around. _What do you mean,_ she asked him with a soft tone in hear voice. Ron looked at her with slight confusion. _The blue bird over there,_ he said.

Luna smiled. _You have a beautiful imagination Ron_ , she said. _Imagination_ , Ron repeated. _But it’s blue. It’s real._

He looked to his side where Ginny was still working on her assignment. _Ginny saw it too_ , he said while pointing in her direction.

Luna’s smile turned sad. Ron’s heart started to hurt.

Ginny looked up and smiled at him. Ron smiled back. Everything was fine.

**August 1994**

_What do you want as a present for Yule, Mum_ , Ron asked. He was sitting on a chair in the kitchen, watching his mother bake. The kitchen was warm and comfortable. He had missed home while he was at Hogwarts.

His mother looked at him with a confused look. _Isn’t it a bit early for buying presents for Yule_ , she asked. _It’s August. There is a lot of time left until you have to worry about presents._

Ron looked through the window outside. The sun was shining bright and everything was green and colorful. _Right_ , he said. _I forgot._

His mother looked worried, but didn’t say anything. She continued baking for a few minutes. She halted in her movements and turned back to him. _Maybe you could ask your father if he needs any help. I’m sure he would be happy about some company._

He stood up. _I think I’ll play with Ginny_ , he said.

The spoon his mother was holding in her hand fell with a loud sound on the ground. The kitchen was quiet. For a few moments his mother didn’t say a word.

 _Ron_ , his mother said with a quiet and calm voice. _You can’t play with Ginny._

She took a step in his direction. Ron backed away.

 _Yes, I can_ , he said. _Why are you saying that._

He could feel his heartbeat fasten. His head started to hurt. Ron suddenly felt nauseous.

 _Ron_ , his mother carefully said. _Ginny isn’t here._

He felt dizzy. His vision blurred and a dull pain stated to spread in his head. _It’s not true_ , he said. _I talked to her. Not long ago._

 _Liar. Liar. Liar_ , it echoed in his head.

His eyes stated to fill with tears. _Remember_ , he told himself. _What did I forget? Remember._

With force he hit his fist against his head. Again and again. _Ginny_ , he said. _Ginny. Ginny. Ginny._

His mother started to cry. _Ron, please stop_ , she said. Ron ignored her.

 _When is she coming home_ , he asked. _Why didn’t she tell me._

His mother hit on the table. Ron stood still. His whole body was shaking. _I can’t remember_ , he whispered. _There is so much._ _How do I know which memories are mine?_

Ron looked out of the window. White clouds were quickly moving across the blue sky. It was windy outside.

 _Ginny isn’t coming back, Ron_ , his mother said. _She will never come back._

 _Ginny?_ Ron’s voice sounded broken and helpless.

His mother put her hands on both sides of his face and looked him deep in the eyes. _Ron_ , she said. _Your sister hadn’t been here for a year now. Ginny is dead._

Ron looked out of the window. The sky was blue and birds were flying around. The trees near the Burrow were moving with the wind. He could see Ginny happily jumping around, trying to catch leaves that were blown away by the wind.

When she saw him watching her through the window, she stopped and smiled at him. Ron smiled back.

**March 1995**

Ron was standing on the Astronomy Tower. He looked at the sky. It was a bright blue. No clouds were to see.

Some birds were flying around. Ron was enjoying the sight.

He could feel a hand on his shoulder. Quickly he turned around.

He saw gold. Golden hair floating in the wind. Golden eyes that were shining so bright that Ron had to look away. The woman in front of him was the most beautiful being he had ever seen.

 _I’ve seen you before_ , he said. The woman didn’t react. She stared at him. Ron felt like she could look deep into his soul.

 _Ron_ , she eventually said. _It’s time._

 _Time_ , he asked. _Time for what?_

_It’s time to end this cycle._

Sadness overcame him. _Why now_ , he asked.

 _It was too much_ , she said. Ron’s hands started to tremble. _So this it is_ , he asked. _This is how it ends?_

 _Yes_ , she said. _You will go and another one will take your place. Starting anew._

Ron looked up. The sky was still blue. A few clouds were moving with the wind.

 _Who are you_ , he asked.

 _Fate_ , she said.

Ron watched some birds fly in circles over the trees of the Forbidden Forest. He wished he could fly with them.

 _You can_ , Fate said. _Fly, little one. Fly high. I see you on the other side._ Ron smiled and flew.


End file.
